The dreaded SLEEP REGRESSION support and solidarity thread!

[Tiredemma]

Here we are. Sleep deprived, emotional and craving all things sugary just to survive the day.

bah.

X-posted btheb. DD is not dissimilar. Last night she woke briefly after each of 2 1-hour cycles but settled with a hand on her tummy and my thumb to hold. But after the third (3 hours sleep total) she wouldn't settle and as awake for the next 2 hours. Won't be put down either.

I get the anxiety too. It's reaching the point where I don't want to get up because I know I'll have to deal with bedtime at the end of the day. Sleep is all I think about. I'm obsessed :-(

Oh Artemis, I so feel your pain. Family events with everyone offering their opinions is hell on a stick. Although always good being able to have someone else do the cooking and cleaning up. Ignore, ignore, ignore - they are all telling a particular version of their truth!

I completely agree with you that many, many women are likely to be diagnosed with PND when all they need is a decent amount of sleep. I know with DD1 I was so close to the edge due to lack of sleep and having a high needs baby and generally being anxious because I had no idea what had hit me.

There is a reason lack of sleep is used as a form of torture and to get confessions.

Well DD2 has slept and eaten well today, here's hoping for a good night.

Hi b yes its all consuming isn't it? DH says it should chill & its only a phase...but he's in the spare room with ear plugs so can quite easily say that can't he?

If it makes you feel better, took 2 hrs to settle ds tonight, slept for 20 mins & screamed like he was being attacked do I am now in bed with him snoring into my armpit. I had some pringles and a wispa for dinner, 3rd time this week missed an evening meal. DH on shifts & not here this eve to help out, but without boobs, he's no use anyway!

How old is your dd? IIRC sleep is deepest at start of night & around dawn, lightest after 3 or 4 ish, which may give you some answers. You are not alone, but 3am feels like the loneliest place on earth doesn't it? Rest assured, at least one of us will be up with you

ArtemisTheHunter how old is your DD? Has she always slept like this? Mine used to sleep perfectly but I am stopping thinking that she will get back to that anytime soon. I am also thinking about using a dummy but am just not sure. She's 7 months and I don't know if it's a good thing to start now? Plus worried that will be just another bad habit? So hard though as am feeling so desperate for something to try. I am thinking of booking an appt with Andrea Grace sleep consultant but it is money that I don't have. I have ordered the book so maybe that will offer some ideas.

Another in agreement with the PND issue. I think I'm going a bit loopy, and I've fallen over twice this week, once with ds in arms too. I can't recall falling over for years before that. It can't be good for you, such little sleep. I've not had more than 3 hrs at a time since aug. Doesn't help that DH appears not to be taking it seriously and had not ever done bedtime or any night resettling.

Also agree about PND, this is so difficult. DD down at 7 then one easy re settle at 8 and then up since 11 and now impossible to get down. Asleep on me but screaming in cot. What changes???

I aslzo sympathise with the pnd issue. Dp commented the other day that he dreads coming home as one of us is likely to be crying. Not actually a true statement but they really dont know what this little sleep is like...an fornsuch an extended amount of time.

Heres some hope.

Dp slept with us again. 5 wake ups...three of them feeding three hours apart and two easy settles.

I've been through many a night btheb with numerous wake ups and what I called the witching hours between 3 & 5 where she often just wouldnt go back to sleep and id end up in the foetal position sobbing. Theres been no magic solution, just patience and hard work trying all sorts to give her a routine that doesnt involve sleeping on me. This regression is not something id wish on anyone. But we seem to be getting wee improvements here and there.

Ooh ladies... 1step forward ... 5 steps back. Grrr.
We are putting it down to her not liking her cot, but she can't stay in her pram forever!!!

Still, she still did more time out of our bed than she ever did pre 2 weeks ago and must remember that 5 wake ups is soooo much better than 15.

Morning all.

We had another night of two wake ups, both for a proper feed. Feels like we are through to the other side now as DD2 managing to do 4-5 hour blocks of sleep. Famous last words.

I'm going to bow out as you don't want to be hearing about how I've only been up twice.

I'll be back when it all goes hourly!

Hang in there. Keep eating the cream cakes. It will get better.

soupmaker it gives hope. Hoping to join you in bowing out soon. Good luck! Pleased for you xxx

Soup that's excellent. Hope things continue in the right direction. Cindy in the nicest possible way I hope you're able to take your leave of the thread soon too!

We had a not too awful night. 2 hours to settle, only one wake up at about 1am, but another 1.5 hours to get her back down. Then up for the day at 5.30am . Things have improved from waking every 1.5 hours but we seem to exchange one problem for another - wake ups might be less frequent but then she stays awake for ages and is up with the birds. Somehow 6am feels more civilised than 5.30 even though there is only a half hour difference. Cindy I agree with you on the witching hour. If DD wakes any time after 4.30 I can wave goodbye to the possibility of going back to sleep.

b I don't understand the sleeping on me but not in cot thing either. I have to make sure dd is absolutely soundly floppy-limbed asleep before trying to put her down and even then 8 times out of 10 she will be awake within a few mins. She has always wanted to sleep on me, but would settle next to me in the bed but since this all started 6 weeks ago she won't even sleep with me right next to her unless with a boob in her mouth. She's never been able to put herself to sleep. She is 24 weeks now, nearly 6 months, so I don't think I can really call this a sleep regression any more. It seems to be the new normal... I'm reluctant to use a dummy too, as we're so close to weaning and soon she'll be getting teeth. Rationally I feel we've got to this point without them, might as well carry on, but I change my mind at 3am!

I'm just silently lurking now as have had 3 nights of 3 wakes - down to 2 last night at 12.30 and 3.30, both feeds and back to sleep.
I'm not counting my chickens though as today she a appears to be dieting and has not fed much!

I haven't been on because DD has reverted back to once a night wake up (which no one on here will want to hear)

Keep the faith ladies
I lurk everyday.

I'm happy to hear that, Tiredemma. It means there is hope! This isn't a 'who has the worst sleeper' competition, I'm really glad to hear from people that their situation has improved.

Do you think anything you've done has made a difference? And you, cakeis? I'd love to know how to get dd back down after night feeds!

nothing different. I put her down to sleep at 6.45 (sleepy but awake)- if she cries I just go in and ssshhhh but I dont pick her up.

If she wakes in the night for a feed I feed/chnage- put her straight back down (awake)- she goes off asleep.

I do use the white noise maker- not sure if that is 'the thing'.

Same old routine here too, feed and then down drowsy (almost asleep but not quite). One change at night, usually around 3 then a feed then straight back down - all in the semi dark. I honestly have not done anything different routine wise for weeks now. However, what I have noticed - she seems to be able to do her own burps a lot more and I have also cut out dairy.
What I have seen is that really honestly naps make no difference - as long as she has some naps, it have mattered if she's had an hour total or 3 hours total.

Thanks ladies. Maybe your LOs have just been taking their time getting accustomed to the routine. Gives me hope that maybe it's just a matter of time and persistence with dd. She had 2 good naps today, first time in 6 weeks, but I can't say I did anything differently either. She went to sleep this evening on the cushion arrangement again, first night in a week I haven't gone to bed when she did though I may well regret that in a few hours' time!

Is it too late for me to join this thread?? My ds is 19weeks old I am still no closer to him sleeping through (more than 3 hours in a stretch would be nice) my mum says he is very windy which I must admit he is - he burps & farts like an old man but he usually does this without any help from me!! She (mother) has been suggesting from very early on I try sleeping him on his front as if he has wind he will squirm a bit & the gentle pressure of being laid on his front will help resolve the "pain" without him waking up?? Has anyone tried sleeping their baby's in any other ways other than flat on their backs?? I really am so tired now, I will try anything but not if any chance it could harm ds??

Same story as usual here and am close to tears. DD went down at 7 had one brief and easy re settle at 8 and then down until 1030. Suddenly then impossible to get down. Will only sleep on me as she is now and screaming in cot. I just don't understand and still don't know if is sleep training issue or if is something else like she gets uncomfy when she has been laying down for a while.

Booville3 i have the same problem! She does massive farts and will settle herself often on her tummy. Although she can roll over she doesn't do it often so i am reluctant to leave her there. It's so hard to know what to do!

I left this thread a few weeks ago as DS improved massively. Now I'm thinking he was just unsettled due to being in hospital. .. NOW I think we're in regression :(, can I come back please?

He whinged/moaned/chatted every 5-10 mins between 12-2:30am and 5-6:20am when I gave up and got up. I think we need to get rid of the dummy... he settled every time I popped it back in but out it popped 5 mins later...

Hello and sympathies to you all... extra sympathies for those who have been here since the thread started!

My night consisted of down at 10 awake at 12.15 down again at 1.30 awake at 3.15 then in bed with me til just now but boob in & out of mouth all the that time!!!

Can't decide btheb whether laying him on his front (he has good head control) is safer than the way I fall asleep with him in the early hours!!!

I can't say my experience is as bad as some on this thread & my heart goes out to you it's so tiring ds is actually my third & I don't remember the other two being as bad!!

Here's to another day with a permanent headache!!!

Also does anyone know how when checking thread I can get straight to the bottom/ new posts without having to scroll down through them all??

Hi booville welcome. To be frank, 3 hours between wake ups/feeds sounds totally normal (and a dream!) at that age so I wouldnt worry. Its what I'm aiming for! I'd ask you hv about sleeping on front...see what she says. I would say though that mums are great at giving advice on what they did...sometimes good, sometimes not recommended now...have you tried evevating the cot mattress so its at a slant, the highest being the head??

gerty hello again...what a shame for you!

cakebaby how you getting on love? Hope its not too depressing seeing people go & yr taking hope from it. You've been through way more than should be expected of any mummy.

btheb its so hard to know!

I'm going to join cakeis tired & soup and take on a lurking role...we had 3 wake ups for three hourly feeds, and two easy settles so I'm thinking we're thru (although I have retired from thread b4 only to return).

Same as the others, I just kept at routine, kept at trying to keep in cot, decided to feed only 3 hourly day and night & settle rest of time. Sliwly she's getting it. Next I'm going to stretch feeds to 4 hourly.

Good luck all, ill be around xxx

cakebaby btw I think your dh should be held to account & take a night shift when ges not working next say & you go in the spare room with ear plugs!!!!! Your dcmay react differently to him, plus you need a rest &it will enable him to see what you go thru every night

Well....spoke too soon - that will teach me!!! Every hour between 12 and 7...gah